Donald A. Lowrie, the American War Prisoners' Aid Secretary sent to Narva, Estonia to set up a repatriation program for Central Power
and Russian prisoners of war in July 1920, wrote a number of reports and letters describing his experiences. WPA secretaries worked
at the ports (Stettin, Germany; Narva, Estonia; Riga, Latvia; and Helsingfors, Finland) and on board ships traveling between these
cities to provide relief to prisoners of war and their families. In his first report, How Repatriation of Prisoners Is Aided by the YMCA,
Lowrie describes the arrival of German and Austro-Hungarian prisoners of war from Russia. Many arrived with families in tow which they
had acquired during their captivity in Siberia. German girls greeted the prisoners with flowers and the mayor of Stettin gave an address
outlining the changes the ex-POW's would experience after the war. He described the family reunions and the search for lost loved ones
among the arrivals. Lowrie also provides some insights into life in Siberia as described by the prisoners. Lowrie wrote this report on
board the S.S. Lisboa enroute to Narva where he would help establish a YMCA repatriation station. Note that the report was
classified not for publication by the International Committee.1

In his second report, The "Y" at One of the War Prisoners Exchanges, Lowrie provides a general overview of War Prisoners' Aid
operations in Narva. He described the POW exchange at the railway station where former Russian prisoners took trains into the interior
and German and Austro-Hungarian POW's arrived in Estonia. Ex-prisoners traveled through the internment camp in the fortress of Ivangorod
where they were registered and deloused. The American YMCA set up a wide range of services for prisoners including the distribution of
cigarettes and chocolate; laundry, barber, tailor, and shoe repair services; writing material; books; musical instruments; and sports
equipment. The Association set up a special map section to help former Austro-Hungarian soldiers determine their new nationalities.
To provide entertainment, the YMCA organized special performances for children and concerts for adults. In addition, the WPA secretaries
set up a field kitchen and a tent for reading and writing for Russian ex-prisoners waiting for trains to take them home.2

Lowrie wrote to his parents in July 1920 in the third document, again listed as "not for publication" by the YMCA. The American secretary
provides far more detail about the arrival of German and Austro-Hungarian prisoners at Stettin including the general welcome, the family
reunions, and the effect of Bolshevik propaganda on the former prisoners. The Bolsheviks only released prisoners that were 60 percent
invalid and refused to repatriate officers, so many POW's had to resort to disguises and evasion to escape their captivity. Lowrie met
a number of prisoners with whom he had worked as a WPA secretary in Tomsk during the war. They described the terrible conditions they
experienced in Siberia and how they were able to survive. Lowrie also mentions that Conrad Hoffman, who arrived in Stettin on the S.S.
Lisboa, had adopted an orphaned Russian boy during his travels. This addition expanded his family to five since his wife had another
daughter after Louise.3

Notes:

Note 1:
Donald A. Lowrie, How Repatriation of Prisoners Is Aided by the YMCA: On Board "S.S. Lisboa," Stettin to Narva, July 12, 1920, 20 July 1920.
Armed Services Records Box 53, Folder: "Prisoners of War Reports-Donald Lowrie-1920," Kautz Family YMCA Archives, University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN. back

Note 2:
Donald A. Lowrie, The "Y" at One of the War Prisoners Exchanges, circa August 1920, Narva, Estonia. Armed Services Records Box 53, Folder:
"Prisoners of War Reports-Donald Lowrie-1920," Kautz Family YMCA Archives, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. back